-
Get our newsletter
Get the latest news and trends in cross cultural management.
Our partners
PUBLISHED ARTICLES
Leadership - Power versus Force
- Published in CONCHIUS Newsletter 24 April, 2012
Most of us assume leadership is about leading others, nothing could be more misleading. True leadership is actually about leading ourselves. It is only when others choose to lead themselves in our footsteps that we are becoming true leaders, leading in a new and powerful way. This kind of leadership comes from a place of power and choice, not from force or dependency. This kind of rare leadership is the foundation of all good leadership. It is based on a shared responsibility for all things achieved. When another person willingly joins a cause, freely contributes to an effort and actively lead themselves towards a shared goal, we have reached the full power of good leadership.
Good leadership is dependent on a clear and shared purpose or objective that is attractive, engaging and worth working hard for. With a shared purpose a person starts leading themselves in the same direction as others, freely and independently. The best leaders are the ones who can epitomize the vision, values and purpose that define their society, company or group. The leader is sought out and chosen to help show the way, to guide and inspire the others to lead themselves. He trusts them and they trust him because the end is shared and the road to get there is chosen by the individual.
A good leader is thus not a person that focuses only on telling others what to do, when and how to do something - that is leading by force. The task of telling and showing is usually trusted to teachers or experienced high performers in the team. To be taught by these masters are a true blessing and considered a great gift by the receiver. Everyone has the potential and capacity to become a leader of something. We all have unique strengths and talents that we can develop and then share with others.
A good leader knows that it is not his responsibility to know everything; his responsibility is to always lead from a place of power and willingly share his strengths (skills, physical strength, knowledge and experience) to benefit the situation or effort faced. To understand the difference between power and force is important for a leader. It decides if he will be leading or dictating. Every good leader understands that power accomplishes with ease that which force is unable to accomplish even with extreme effort.
When power meets force, power always eventually succeeds over force. It is a natural law. If something is deeply founded in the will or nature of the people, power is immune to force. Short-term, force can be very attractive. It is seductive because it radiates certain glamor, while true power very often is quite dull. Another characteristic of force is arrogance, it has all the answers. Power is characterized by humility and is unassuming. In fact, most leaders and talents grow from a base of true power, but as time go on and with success, these successful individuals turn protective, defensive and end up relying more and more on force until they finally fall in disgrace. The history of leaders demonstrates this repeatedly.
To be a leader in any corporation today is a great challenge. Globalization, fast moving markets and product development that spins faster and faster. Have you got your development plan for developing this kind of leaders ready?
- Peter J Karlsson
3 comments on “Leadership - Power versus Force”
Leave a comment
MOST POPULAR
LATEST POSTS
- Leadership - Power versus Force (3)
- Managing in China Without Coaching (2)
- How to Lead Effectively in China (Part 1 of 2) (1)
- Chinese Employees Want Self-aware Bosses (1)
- Matrix Organization - Possible in China? (1)
LATEST POSTS
- Leadership - Power versus Force
- 24 April, 2012
- Benefits of Working with Employee Strengths
- 6 February, 2012
- Employee Engagement in China
- 25 October, 2011
- Cost Benefits of Coaching
- 8 September, 2011
- Performance coaching in the workplace
- 6 July, 2011
- The Corporate Training Challenge
- 1 March, 2011
- To be or not to be, that is the question
- 7 September, 2010
- How to deal with emotional employees
- 1 June, 2010
- Is the 80’s generation less disciplined?
- 6 May, 2010
- Find the strengths of local staff
- 1 April, 2010
April 25th, 2012 at 12:37 pm
Interesting perspective Peter! Leading by example is a strong way to lead. I´m of the opinion that it works best when an organisation has recruited the right people based on moral values and work ethic. Without the right people, it matters not how well you “lead”, because in the end it´s not the leader who achieves, but the people.
Cheers!
Jer
April 25th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really
well written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful
information. Thanks for the post. I will definitely comeback.
May 1st, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Very well written and i could not agree more. Also a tip for the leader in a long term is the fact that keep focus and never give up.
I believe that the effect of your leadership is very much dependent on the people around you and how willing they are to accept your way of thinking. If you manage a group there will allways be someone that does not agree but that normally solves itself IF they are not to many!
You can force it through but that will only have a very short term effect and in a later stage it can be even worse by the fact that people may see it that you do not listen. And that is important to do of course. Then you need to convince your people and have open and individual conversations with them and mainly showing your power by doing actions yourself and never giving up your foundation of thinking.
People regardless of their age are like children: They never do what you tell them to do (Force), they do what you DO (Power)!